Good information! Thanks to both of you all. But while I have your attention, please answer this aged old question for me, because I'm being told a 100 different things: Are ALL the Olds 350's "Rockets" or is that designation given to just a few? How can I determine once and for all if my engine is a "Rocket"??
1971 Oldsmobile Rocket (?) Engine Rebuild
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Oldsmobile = Rocket as far as I'm concerned. It's the Olds symbol / insignia......
It was a marketing term. Depending on what year engine you have, the compression ratio will determine sales, "Rocket" status. Don't believe the hype.
It was a marketing term. Depending on what year engine you have, the compression ratio will determine sales, "Rocket" status. Don't believe the hype.
Generally, the 4 barrel motors pre smog (pre 73) are considered "rocket" engines. But nowadays everyone calls every olds motor a rocket. Hell, some people have the nuts to call all BOP motors rocket motors. Irritates the hell outta me. If your engine is a 71, and was a factory 4 barrel, odds are it at one point had the "rocket" label on the air cleaner. Nothing really special about them per se, just the older motors had higher compression and better heads. Oh, and the early 70s blocks had solid mains. Late 70s 350s had windowed mains iirc, like the 403.
Mr. Sony, I've heard the "better heads" reference a few times in regard to my 71 Olds engine. With that being said, am I'm doing my engine rebuild a disservice to do "head work" to a engine that came with good factory heads??
Any headwork is better than no headwork. And if you can't score a set of 4, 5, or 6 heads don't worry. The 7as you had will be more than adequate for your goals. The casting number for the 7a heads from 71/72 is 409147 according to this site: http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofhed.htm
For valve sizes, 2.07"/1.625" is valve sizes you want with the bowls opened up and everything transitioned. A big cam will be needed for 425 HP. There are 3.875" and 4" stroker cranks now being made for the Olds 350. A complete 3.875" rotating assembly with way better than the stock soft rods for a target $2495 price with 414 ci will be 425 HP very easy with Procomp aluminum heads.
That crank is 5140 steel, stronger even than the factory 330 steel crank and much stronger than your nodular crank at around the same weight. There is also 4340 cranks being made, for more money. Nice he is getting both 3.875" and 4" strokes done. It is easier to put a package together with 3.875" crank, according to Mark Remmel, Cutlassefi, the guy behind it. His package will include rings and bearings in that package as well, good through 700 hp. If you are planning on the Speed Pro forged pistons get something else. Heavy and have an ancient ring pack. CP has a nice modern piston that requires just a cylinder hone if your motor is in good shape. DSS also has a better piston in various oversizes. Your stock rods are also questionable at that power level, 400 sbc pistons and 6.2" I believe sbc aftermarket rods are the way to go with the stock stroke. The crank needs widened or the rods narrowed and a .025" cut off the journal for 2.1" rods.
I'm not sure how to run your block numbers but check to see if the webs to your main bearing bosses are windowed or not. I know I got lucky with my Olds 350 and ended up with a non-windowed block.
I guess the windowed ones love to come apart with RPM or boost
I guess the windowed ones love to come apart with RPM or boost
Any 1976 or older block has solid mains. Other than diesel, all 77 and later are windowed. Any factory heads are an OK starting point, even #8 smog heads, except the later 3A through 7A heads. All have horrid exhaust ports and some are crack prone.
Might be wort your time to look up rocket racing out of WI. I forget the town off hand. Was going to get my '72- 455 for a 68 cutlass redone there before the market tanked and end up selling off the entire project. They are/were know to do quality work for reasonable prices, and knew how to make an Olds boogie.
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